The 1490 NewsBlog

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Alleged Burglary Ring Member Waives Hearing

The last member of a McKean County burglary ring run by Garrett Hoy of Smethport has waived his preliminary hearings in that case and another.

20-year-old Austin Tankersley is accused of being part of the ring that stole dirt bikes, ATVs and chainsaws from several locations in the county and then sold them in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Warren counties. According to court papers Tankersley, using an assumed name, sold a four-wheeler to Parts-R-Us in Limestone. The owner then saw the four-wheeler online and learned that it had been stolen. He searched Tankersley’s phone number, got his real name and contacted police.

In another case from a couple of weeks ago, police saw Tankersley behind the wheel of a car that was parked near Main and Mechanic streets in Bradford, knowing that he didn’t have a driver’s license. When a passing police officer said something to him he said, “I’m not driving and please don’t ruin my day.” When the officer turned around and drove back to Tankersley, he ran away. Police eventually caught up with him on Tibbits Avenue.